SB521

Senate Bill 521 amends existing Arkansas law regarding the reimbursement of training costs when a law enforcement officer moves from one agency to another. The bill extends the period during which a hiring agency is required to reimburse the officer's original training agency from 18 months to 24 months. It also modifies the reimbursement schedule, requiring 100% reimbursement if an officer is hired within 12 months (previously 2 months) and 50% reimbursement if hired between 12 and 24 months (previously 2 to 6 months). The bill removes specific tiered reimbursement percentages for the 6-to-18-month range found in current law, replacing them with a simplified two-tier structure. Additionally, it requires the Division of Law Enforcement Standards and Training to notify a previous employer when a new hire has completed training within the last 24 months. These changes take effect on January 1, 2026.